Cougars use solid defensive effort, stifle Georgia Southern

PULLMAN — The Cougars didn’t need much time this season to figure out a winning formula on the hardwood.

For the second game in a row, Washington State held an opponent to 42 points, defeating Georgia Southern 61-42 Wednesday night to move to 2-0 on the season before a sparse crowd of 2,199 at Friel Court. The two-game total of 84 points allowed is the school’s lowest since December of 1972.

Four Cougars scored in double figures, led by Thomas Kelati’s 13. Both teams struggled badly in the first half on offense, as WSU took a 21-19 lead into the locker room. But as a harbinger of better things to come, the Cougars had 10 assists on their 10 buckets, as the gaps in Georgia Southern’s defense became apparent.

In the second half, WSU filled the box score with 40 points in an effort reminiscent of the team’s first-half success in the season opener against Montana State. The Cougars shot 52.2 percent from the floor in those 20 minutes and knocked down 14 of 17 free throws.

The Cougars struggled in the first half to gather rebounds, at one point trailing the Eagles 19-10 in the category. But Bennett switched things up on offense, sending more players to the basket and leading to an eventual 39-35 rebounding edge.

The biggest factor was senior forward Jeff Varem, who collected his first career double-double with 11 points and a career-high 14 rebounds. Before Wednesday, Varem had never even ventured into double digits in rebounds at WSU. He managed to do so even with forward Shami Gill, the team’s leading rebounder last season, in the lineup for the first time this year after missing time with sciatic pain.

Gill scored 12 on a 6-for-10 shooting night, adding five rebounds and a block. Chris Schlatter was the fourth Cougar in double figures with 10.

Kelati ran his consecutive free throws streak to 26.

The Cougars now embark on the first of three three-game road trips, visiting Kansas State on Saturday.